


Letters to Santa

by astradanvers



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Kalex, kalexsecretsanta, romantic kalex, secretsanta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:34:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21965749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astradanvers/pseuds/astradanvers
Summary: Kara Danvers returns to visit her hometown, a place she hasn't been since she was seven. Along the way she reconnects with some family she's missed and maybe, just maybe, finds love too.
Relationships: Clark Kent/Lois Lane, Kara Danvers/Alex Danvers, Lucy Lane/Alura In-Ze | Alura Zor-El, Martha Kent/Jonathan Kent
Comments: 3
Kudos: 97
Collections: Secret Kalex Santa 2019





	Letters to Santa

**Author's Note:**

  * For [purrpickle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/purrpickle/gifts).



> I'm so sorry this is so late being back up. I posted it on the 20th and then updated the date today and apparently things went amiss and I've spent the rest of the day trying to get it to reappear. Once again I'm super sorry. Happy Holidays to all!

The store is beautiful and they both know it and now Polly has validated that knowledge as well as letting them know that she’s looking to expand her business, which means more jobs for them in the very near future. After they’ve been assured by Polly that the store is everything she’d been hoping for Kara and Winn make their way out towards the street. Kara exits ahead of Winn, “You know if we keep this up we’ll be able to open our own store in less than two years.”

Winn nods as Kara slips her arms into her leather jacket and then slides her bag up to her shoulder, “That’s right, soon we’ll be able to provide everything anyone could ever need.” As they continue on down the street Winn watches Kara become more and more despondent, “Hey, what’s wrong?”

Kara shakes her head, “I just don’t know if I’m ready to settle down yet,” she tells him. “I mean I love what we do and being able to travel.”

“We’ve got time to worry about all that later, Kar,” he tells her. “You know, one thing we don’t have much time to worry about is you finishing the last item on your list of New Year’s resolutions from last year.”

Sighing quietly as they stop before her car, Kara turns to look at Winn, “I know,” she says sadly. “Go back to my hometown.”

She shakes her head, “What?”

“Just, what if it’s not what I remember?”

Winn shrugs, “Then at least you’ll know. Come on, Kar, it’s been twelve years since the accident, don’t you think it’s time to go back and see what you and your dad left behind.”

Kara sighs, “Maybe you’re right.”

“Well it’s a picture perfect little town, right?”

“It is,” Kara says with a nod, pulling out her phone and showing him the picture of Argo that she found online. “Doesn’t it look beautiful?”

Winn glances at the picture, it really is a beautiful little town, at least on paper, “It does.” He moves closer to her, “Look, this is your chance,” he says. “Go to this town, see what it’s like. You’re on your own for Christmas this year since Lisa is in Europe. This is your chance.”

Kara nods, “Maybe you’re right,” she finally says. She nods, “Of course you are.”

She moves towards her car, “What’s the name of this place again?”

Looking back to Winn over the door of her car she smiles, “Argo.”

* * *

Kara finds herself several hours later cruising along on the way back to her hometown, singing along to the Christmas music playing on the radio and repeatedly telling herself that she’s doing the right thing by going back to Argo. When she starts to round a curve she draws to a stop behind a beautiful old red truck, complete with wooden slats along the sides and a beautiful Christmas tree in the back.

“You having problems with your truck?” she calls to the person under the hood.

The woman, and Kara is a little surprised that a woman is the one who appears, replies, “Not my truck.”

Kara chuckles a little, “What did you steal it?”

The woman under the hood chuckles, “No, it’s on loan from a friend,” she says looking around the side and ducks back under the hood.

Kara can’t resist when she says, “Oh you broke your friend’s truck?”

“I didn’t break it. It was already -”

“I didn’t -”

“You’re just messing with me,” the woman says as she steps away from the front of the truck slightly.

Kara nods, “Yeah.” She makes her way towards the other woman, “Seriously though, is there anything I can do to help?”

“That depends, how are you with old engines?”

“Pretty good, actually.”

A disbelieving eyebrow is raised, “Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

The woman hands over the wrench in her hand to Kara, “Okay then.”

Kara leans over the truck, surprised by how well maintained the workings of the engine appear to be. She reaches for her first guess at the problem, “Did you try this?”

“Yep.”

“What about this?” she says pointing to idea number two.

“Twice.”

“And this?”

“That too.”

Kara tilts her head, perplexed, everything should be in working order if all of those things are working. “Alright,” she looks to one last thing, gives it a slight bit of tightening. “Mind if I try to start it?” she questions, holding the wrench out to the woman at her side.

“No, go for it.”

Kara makes her way towards the driver’s door, “It’s a beautiful old truck,” she says, enraptured by the bright red paint.

“Yeah, isn’t it?”

Sliding into the driver’s seat, Kara is surprised to find a box filled with fresh produce sitting on the seat beside her and a clipboard with an order form from a local Christmas tree farm. She rolls her eyes slightly,  _ Welcome to Argo _ , she tells herself. “Alright,” she calls and reaches for the key, turning it.

“Hold up,” the woman calls after a few moments. Kara holds her hands up in the air as the woman at the front of the truck reaches in to adjust something. “Now try it,” she calls.

Reaching out Kara turns the key once more and smiles when the engine turns over and the truck roars to life. Both women laugh and Kara smiles at the dark haired woman, taking her in fully for the first time. Her red hair is cut short and her leather jacket hugs her in ways that let you know it's one of those leather jackets made to be warm, not just for show. The woman’s smile is easy and friendly.

“Hey, teamwork, right?”

“Right,” the woman says, cleaning up the wrench in her hand with a red cloth. “Although, I hold out that I did most of the work before you got here.”

Kara smiles, “I’ll give you that one. However, if I had not come along you’d still be standing here with your feet in the snow.”

The woman nods, “That’s fair.” She opens the door to allow Kara out, “You, uh, you headed into Argo?”

“Am I that obvious?” Kara asks with a laugh. “Christmas tourist? Snowglobe?”

“Lucky guess,” the other woman says. She nods to the road, “This is the only road in and out of town.”

“Well, yeah there is that.”

“There is that.”

Kara flounders for a moment at what to say next but the other woman saves her, “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Kara says with a nod. She turns slightly, “Merry Christmas,” she says before heading back to her car.

“Merry Christmas and all that,” the other woman says and Kara can feel the eyes following her towards her car.

“Welcome to Argo.”

Kara smiles over her car door, “Thanks,” she says before sliding into the car and pulling away.

* * *

As she pulls into the small town, Kara feels herself smile widely. She steps out of her car and looks around the small street, decorated to the max with beautiful decorations. Looking through the window of the diner she spots a young girl, snow globe in hand and eyes closed making her Christmas wish. Then the store across from her catches her eye and she’s flooded with a memory. “Daisy’s,” she whispers to herself.

_ Six year old Kara stands at the counter beside the letter box, colored pencil in hand. She taps her lip with the end of the pencil for a moment and then nods. “Dear Santa,” she murmurs to herself. _

_ The shopkeeper, Ms. Daisy, is handing out candy canes to a few of the other kids, they’re older than Kara and she’s not sure of their names. She can’t be too distracted anyway, after all her letter is more important than anything. She hears the bell chime over the door but doesn’t look away, concentrating instead on making sure all of her letters are perfect. She vaguely hears Ms. Daisy say something to Ms. Eliza about a shelf in the back but she doesn’t turn. _

_ As she finishes writing her name at the bottom of her letter Ms. Daisy appears, “How’s it coming? Did you put your truest Christmas wish in there?” _

_ Kara shrugs slightly, “Maybe,” she murmurs quietly, spinning the paper around so Ms. Daisy can see. _

_ “You’re sure I can read it?” Kara nods and Ms. Daisy picks up the letter. “Dear Santa, This year for Christmas I want to have Christmas in Argo every year.” _

_ Ms. Daisy studies the little girl before her, well aware of her situation, “Are you sure that’s your wish?” _

_ “Well,” Kara says quietly, “we’re moving away and I’m excited,” she says, “but I love Argo and I’m going to miss it.” _

_ Ms. Daisy nods, “I can understand that, but change isn’t always a bad thing.” She picks up the colored pencil Kara had used for her letter, “How about this? How about we change it to say that you want to have Christmas like it is in Argo every year?” _

_ Slowly Kara nods, “Yeah, I like that.” Ms. Daisy folds the letter in half and then in half again before dropping it into the letter box for Santa. She’s still sad to be leaving though, Argo is her home. Her mother is here, not that her father ever lets her see Alura anywhere but at school, she’s going to miss her. Ms. Daisy rounds the counter and pulls her into a hug, “Everything will be okay, Kara,” she says quietly. “If you are meant to be here, then you’ll find your way back.” _

_ “How can you be so sure?” _

_ “Because the people who belong in Argo,” Ms. Daisy says, “always find their way here.” _

Kara rounds the car and starts towards the door of the diner as a woman comes from inside, she’s an older woman with classic curled silver-blue hair and in her hands is a chalkboard sign with the day’s special written on it. “Excuse me,” she says, “can you tell me what happened to Daisy’s?”

The woman turns around a warm smile on her lips as she looks first to the stranger and then to the building across the way, “Oh, it closed,” she says, “a little over a year ago.”

“It’s a shame,” Kara says quietly, “I loved that place.”

A nod is the woman’s initial response, “It was the anchor of town,” she says, “always full of joy.”

Kara asks quietly, hoping to connect with the woman who gave her some small joy before she left home as a child, “And Daisy?”

The woman’s eyes turn a little teary and her voice emotion laden as she says, “Daisy passed away, this year.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Kara says, feeling horrible for bringing up such a fresh loss. She remembers all those years ago when people would ask about her father before they learned of his death and how it always felt like a punch to an already open wound. 

“Did you know her?”

“Well, um, sorta,” she says quietly. “I was born here,” she says, “but then my dad and I, we moved away when I was six, almost seven.” For a moment Kara thinks she sees something shining in the woman’s eyes but then it disappears just as quickly.

“You probably went to kindergarten with my son, Clark? Always chasing animals?”

Kara chuckles, “Oddly enough, I do have a memory of that.” She holds out a hand to the older woman, “Kara Zorel.”

“Zorel,” the woman says, “was your dad a scientist, no military?”

A nod is Kara’s response, “Right on both counts.”

The diner bell rings as the door opens and an older man steps outside, “I’m Martha,” the woman says, “and this is my husband, Jonathan, we own the Kringle Kitchen.”

“You guys on the Kringle Kitchen,” Kara says happily. “I used to love this place.” She looks back through the window to the snowglobe, “And the snowglobe is still here.”

“Oh, it’s still here,” Jonathan says, “granting wishes by the dozen. We get a lot of people from all over coming to our Christmas Eve festival.” Jonathan has only just finished talking when the sound of a car behind her causes Kara to turn and she finds the candy apple red truck from earlier pulling in behind her car, “Ah, Alex,” Jonathan says. Martha waves to the redhead in the truck as Kara watches her, “My vegetables.” 

He moves towards the truck, “Hey, sorry I’m late, Jon,” Alex says as she slides out of the truck bringing the box full of fresh vegetables, Kara had seen earlier, with her. “I had to deliver a few more trees.” She moves around the door of the truck, bumping it closed with her hip, “I’ll take these in for you,” she says with a smile even as Jonathan follows behind her towards the door to the diner. 

“Kara,” Martha says, “this is Alex.”

Alex smiles and Kara can’t help but think of it as a sexy smile even though she’s almost certain that the other woman doesn’t classify it as such, “Oh, we met on the road,” Alex tells Martha, “she is an astonishingly good mechanic.”

Kara laughs as Jonathan and Alex disappear into the diner, “I, uh, I gave her a little help with the truck.”

Martha smiles, “It was my father’s. He wanted it passed down to his grandson but my Clark,” she shakes her head, “he isn’t very into cars. So we passed it down to one of his best friends instead, Astra, she’s in New York visiting her fiance’s mother.” Martha chuckles, “They’ll probably be back sooner rather than later.” She points back to the diner, “Come back for dinner?”

Kara nods, “Definitely.”

She’s turning to head back to her car when she hears Martha say, “See ya, Lex.”

Turning she finds the redhead heading for the diver’s side of the truck, “We’ve got to stop meeting like this.”

“Yep,” Alex says as she pulls open the door. 

“The townspeople are gonna start to talk.”

Alex laughs, “It's what they do best. Well, that and harmonize the last three bars of any Christmas carol.”

Kara laughs, “See ya,” she calls while climbing into her car.

* * *

Finding the inn is the easy part, right off Main Street and one of the most beautifully decorated places in town. Kara smiles at the picture perfectness of the place as she makes her way up the front steps. She opens the red door with it’s live wreath and smiles at the scent of fresh pine as it invades her senses. Slipping inside the house, Kara closes the door behind her once more, the smells of fresh baked bread taking over the smell of pine. As she enters she looks around, her eyes instantly finding the boxes filled to overflowing with glass ornaments and she moves towards them carefully, gentle fingers lifting one up to look at it.

She’s studying the intricate details of the ornament when a man steps into the room, “Oh, I meant to put those away,” he says.

Kara smiles at him, “They’re beautiful.” She places the ornament gently back into the box with the others, “Are they handblown?”

The man nods, “Made them myself.” He smiles at her and holds out a hand, “J’onn Jones,” he says.

Kara smiles, “I actually have a room rented,” she says, “I’m -”

“Kara Zorel,” a woman with caramel colored skin says as she spins into the room, “you’re all set. You’ll be in room eight.” She holds out her hand, “I’m Lois by the way.”

Kara chuckles preparing to speak when the door behind her opens and she looks over her shoulder to see the view of the snow covered front lawn obscured by a lush Christmas tree. “Oh, the tree’s here,” J’onn says while moving forward.

As the tree is set down and the person behind it moves to be seen Kara can’t help but chuckle, “This is getting a little strange,” she says.

The redhead before her laughs too, “Yeah, yeah it is.” She shakes her head, “I’m not sure who is following who.” Kara shakes her head while Alex tells J’onn, “I’ll just get this set up for you.”

J’onn and Lois look to each other and Kara and Alex both turn their attention back to one another, “Ma’am,” Kara says with a chuckle.

“Fair Lady,” Alex says with as much of a fake bow as she can do while still holding up a seven foot tall fraser fir tree.

J’onn looks to Kara as Alex moves away from them with the Christmas tree, “You’ve met Alex already?”

Kara chuckles, “Yeah,” she says, “three times today actually.”

* * *

Later that night Kara pulls up in front of the Kringle Kitchen once more and steps out of the car, her eyes instantly moving to Daisy’s store. She sighs as she leans back against the side of her small green car. She remembers that last night in Argo better than anything else from this town, perhaps that’s why she wanted to come back so badly for so many years. 

_ Kara stands outside of Daisy’s Store with Ms. Daisy herself and looks up at the older woman, “Why so sad?” _

_ “I’m leaving,” Kara says, with tears in her voice and a lump stuck in her throat. _

_ “You’re going to a new home,” Ms. Daisy says, “there’s excitement in that.” _

_ “But what if Santa doesn’t know where to deliver my presents, what if he can’t find me.”  _ What about my mom? 

_ “Santa always knows where to find good boys and girls, Kara,” Ms. Daisy says and holds out a basket full of goodies for her. “Now you be good for your dad,” she tells the little girl. Slowly Kara nods and then walks to the burgundy car waiting for her across the street, Ms. Daisy holding the door for her to let her slide inside. She looks back at Ms. Daisy as the older woman crosses the street once more and reaches up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. _

* * *

Inside the Kringle Kitchen Martha spots Kara the moment she enters the diner and waves her towards the back of the room, “Hey, Kara. I didn’t want you to eat dinner alone,” she says as she pulls out a chair for Kara at a table occupied by two people already. The man sitting to Kara’s immediate left is a tall muscular black man in a button up shirt and a sweater and Kara smiles at him as she sits down. Her eyes travel then to the woman across from her and her breath stutters for a moment, the woman there has olive toned skin, though it is somewhat lighter than most would consider such, her hair falls in dark brunette waves around her shoulders and her eyes are the iciest blue that Kara has ever seen when not looking in the mirror. Kara knows her instantly.

As Kara sits down and slides under the table the woman begins to speak, “I hear you went to elementary school here.”

Kara nods, “Yeah, yeah I did.”

The woman smiles, “I’m actually the principal of the elementary school now. I’m Alura” A little bubble of pride swells inside of Kara’s heart, the name confirming what she’d already known to be true, that always had been the woman’s dream job. “And this is -”

“James,” the man says, “I’m the mayor of Argo.”

“The mayor?” Kara questions with a smile, “Wow. Your little town is the dictionary definition of charming.”

James smiles, “Well thank you,” he shakes his head slightly, “I just hope we can keep it that way.”

“What do you mean?”

“James,” Alura says warningly.

“I’m sorry,” James says, “I’m just distracted.”

Martha bustles over to them then, menus that she places before them in hand, “No business at the dinner table, James,” she says scoldingly and Kara gets the impression that she has known James for most, if not all of his life. “The Kringle Kitchen is a stress free zone.”

“I’m sorry,” James says again, exasperation clear in his voice. He looks to Kara, “If we don’t get the general store sold,” he says quietly, “we could end up with a chain store or worse, fast food. Either of which would put places like this out of business which would greatly impact Argo as a whole and possibly bankrupt the whole town. Mostly though it wouldn’t make Argo, Argo anymore.”

Kara tilts her head, “Who owns Daisy’s store now?”

“I do,” James tells her, “Daisy was my godmother.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Kara says, feeling as if she’s inserted her foot into her mouth all over again. 

“I’m looking to sell it.”

Kara looks at him thoughtfully for a moment and then makes to stand from the table. “Let me just look at something for a minute.” She moves a little away from the table, “You know what might help,” she says quietly, “a staging.”

James looks up at her, “A staging?”

“Yeah, like they do with houses when they want to sell them. You make it look like what someone would want to live in,” she shrugs, “or in this case you make it look like a general store.”

“And you could do that to a store?”

Kara nods, “Yeah, it’s kinda what I do.”

* * *

After dinner Kara and James make their way across the street to Daisy’s store. Inside Kara looks at the interior of the store, most of it covered by a support beam. “The support beam fell during an early snow storm this year. Haven’t really had a chance to get it repaired.”

Kara looks around at the space, memories flashing through her mind. She looks up at the roof, “It’s going to take some work,” she says. “But we add some color and some decorations, we could have it ready to go by Christmas,” she shrugs, “if you want to sell it that fast.”

James nods, “Fast is what we’re going for. The bank has already said if it isn’t sold by the first of the year they’re going to take it.”

“Point me in the direction of the town’s best contractor and I’ll see what I can do.”

Smiling James places a hand at the small of Kara’s back and turns her around to look through the window of the store, “Alex,” he says while motioning to the redhead stepping out of the bright red truck, “is a contractor.”

Kara shakes her head, “Of course she is.”

“Problem is she’s only in town for the week visiting her mom.” He tilts his head, “And she’s a little,” he pauses, “exacting.”

“I don’t think I’ll need more than a week, honestly,” Kara says quietly. “Let me talk to Alex though and see if she can help.”

Kara hurries outside to Alex at the side of the red truck,”Hey, Alex,” she says with a smile. She claps her hands together, “Let’s say I was getting ready to start this project and I needed someone who was handy with tools.”

Alex wipes her hands down with a yellow rag, having been tinkering with the truck again after another refusal to start, “You planning on buying Daisy’s store?”

Kara shakes her head, “No,”  _ but I want to _ , “no I’m just going to fix it up, add some decorations, get it ready for a potential buyer to see what it can be.”

A shake of her head is Alex’s almost immediate response, “You can’t just throw some tinsel at this and expect it to sell.” She shakes her head, throwing the cloth in her hand through the truck window, “That place needs a lot of work.”

“That’s why I need someone handy with tools. In order to help me do that.”

“And you think I’m your man?”

Kara can’t stop herself from running her eyes from the boots on Alex’s feet to the top of her head, “While I have no doubt that you are in fact not a man, I do think you’re the person who can help me with this. I think that you care as much about this place as any other person around here.”

Alex nods, “So why do you care?”

Glancing back to the shop Kara can’t help the small smile on her lips, “Because I have my own memories here,” she says quietly. “Come on, take a week and help me do this?”

“I’m sorry,” Alex says, pushing away from the truck where she had been leaning with her arms crossed, “It’s just not enough time to get it done right.”

“Look it’s plenty of time. I mean I’ve got tons of experience doing this kind of stuff and I’m sure you’ve got some kind of experience doing this kind of stuff, right?”

Slowly Alex nods, “Yeah, I started out doing freelance contracting, over time people started recognizing my work. They realized I was good at leading a team, good eye for detail that kind of thing. Now I get calls from all over wanting me to come work. I just got finished with a library in Denver.”

“See we could do this.”

“Not unless you have a whole army of Christmas elves.”

“Which I don’t,” Kara says, she moves towards Alex slightly, “but I bet you know some people.”

“Which I’d have a pretty hard time getting to work the Christmas holiday.”

“Not if you tell them that it’s a Christmas present for the whole town.”

Alex laughs, “You are really persistent.”

Kara nods, “I am, I am.”

Looking at the woman before her Alex asks the question she most wants an answer too, “So let me ask you this, what’s in it for you?” She pauses, “If you don’t mind me asking.”

“I don’t know,” Kara says with a shake of her head, “it just feels like something I should do.” She smirks, “Besides, I was told you’re the best contractor in this town.”

Alex chuckles, “I’m the only contractor in this town.”

Kara laughs, “They may have mentioned that too.” She smiles, “I promise you won’t regret this. We’ll be fast -”

“No,” Alex says, “if we’re gonna do this, we do it right. Not rushed.”

“No, not rushed,” Kara agrees. “We will work fast but smart. Deal?” she holds out her hand towards Alex.

“Deal,” Alex says with a smile.

* * *

The next morning Kara and Alex meet up at the hot cocoa stand, “I would love a peppermint hot cocoa,” Kara tells Jonathan behind the little stand.

“Right in with the Christmas spirit,” he says with a grin. He looks to Alex, “Anything for you, Alex.”

“Just a coffee,” she says, “black.” Both Kara and Jonathan stare at her for long moments, “What?”

“Tis the season,”Jonathan says.

“Fine, with whip cream?” it’s more a question than a response.

“Caramel?” Jonathan asks, not denying that he enjoys the sight of the floundering young woman.

“No,” she hesitates, “yes, fine, yes.”

Kara laughs while Jonathan makes their drinks and turns to Alex, “I want to get some decorations,” she starts. “And I would love to stop by a Christmas tree lot,” she looks at him, “do you guys have one of those?”

Alex looks at her seriously, “We have five,” she tells Kara.

“Five?”

A nod is the response she receives, “Although I’m probably gonna recommend the one my mom owns.”

Kara nods, “That’s probably a safe bet.”

Alex chuckles, “She’ll appreciate that.”

“I was thinking we could use a tree on the outside and then on the inside.”

Alex looks skeptical, “Don’t you think two trees is a bit much.”

Kara shakes her head, “Never.” Jonathan hands over their coffee and hot chocolate and the two set off, “First things first we need a strong window display and supplies.”

“I know a guy,” Alex says easily.

Soon enough the two of them are walking through the local hardware store, Kara reading from a list in her hands and Alex following along behind her, determinedly not looking at Kara’s posterior as they walk. “I want pine garland and lots of white paint,” she says.

The owner of the store slides a few boxes onto the counter as they approach, having already talked to Alex the night before about what they would be needing and wanting to do. “Don’t you just love how hardware stores have these boxes of old stuff they just don’t know what to do with?”

“Oh, yeah,” Alex says, “I love them. You never know what you’re gonna find. I always try to go through them.”

“You too?” Kara asks. “I’ve never met someone else who loves going through them.”

Alex runs her hands through the box of keys before her, “What are all these old keys?” she asks.

“We don’t know what they actually go to,” the man says. “But you know everytime you throw out a key, you find a lock that it might fit.”

Continuing to look through the box Alex finds what she’s looking for at the bottom. It’s old and rusted and heavy and big, with a large S in the circle at the top. “What does this key go to?” she questions.

The shop owner shakes his head, “It’s been here long before my time.” He motions to the boxes, “Tell you what, anything you find here in these boxes, it's yours for a nickel a piece.”

“Are you sure?” Kara asks astounded.

He nods, “Christmas discount.”

“Deal,” Kara says with a laugh.

* * *

Martha and Alura stand beside one another in the front window of the Kringle Kitchen, watching the two people across the street. “They look good together,” Martha says as Alex drops a snowflake on Kara’s head and the young woman bounces it between her hands to keep it from hitting the ground. Both young women laughing.

Jonathan sticks his head between Alura and Martha’s shoulders, “Don’t go stirring the pot, Martha.”

The older woman chuckles, “I do not stir the pot, Jon.”

Alura laughs, “Martha Kent, you set me up with no less than 6 people last year.”

“But I stopped,” Martha says, “the minute you told me you weren’t interested.”

“Yeah, right,” Alura mutters with a smile.

The door to the diner opens then and Lois steps into the room, “Well, hello,” Martha says to her daughter-in-law, “welcome back.”

Lois smiles at the older woman, “Hello, Martha,” she says, rounding the table Alura is at to kiss Martha’s cheek. “You all remember my sister, Lucy, and my nephew, David.”

“Lucy,” Martha says with a smile, “it’s good to have you back.”

Lucy smiles, her arm around her son’s shoulders, “It’s good to be back, Mrs. Kent.” She looks around the diner, “Especially here in the Kringle Kitchen,” she looks back to Martha, “I can’t wait to have some of your famous apple dumplings.”

Martha waves a hand at her, “Flattery will get you nowhere, child,” she says with a smile. Her eyes move back and forth between Alura and Lucy however and she steps towards Lucy. “Lucy dear,” she says, taking the young woman’s hand and pulling her towards Alura’s table, “have you met Alura?”

Lucy smiles, “Afraid I haven’t had the pleasure,” she steps forward, holding out a hand, “Lois has told me all about you, of course.” She smirks as she takes Alura’s hand in her own, “It’s wonderful to finally put a face with a name.”

Alura smiles at her, “I guess we’ve always missed each other before now.”

The bell above the door jingles and draws everyone’s attention as Kara enters the diner, making her way over to the two tables they’ve pulled together and slipping her jacket off while sitting at the head of the table. Hellos are passed around as Kara fiddles with the key from that morning, “What’s that?” asks David, curiously.

Kara smiles, “It’s an old key.”

“Well, what’s it go to?”

“Don’t know,” Kara supplies with a shrug. “We found it this morning in the hardware store.” She has an idea, “I don’t know if we’ll ever know what it goes to, I’d have to find somebody who would be willing to try it in every keyhole in town.” David leans closer to her, clearly interested in the idea, “Would you want to?” she holds out the key.

He reaches for it instantly, “Yeah, well,” he looks to his mom, “can I, Mom?”

Lucy nods with a chuckle, “Sure.”

David grins widely then looks to Lois, “Where should we start Aunt Lois?”

“Me?” Lois asks curiously, then shrugs, “Town hall, I suppose,” she says after a few minutes.

Martha comes over then with a tray of hot apple dumplings and Kara stands up, “Oh, Martha, Alex and I were talking,” she says, moving to a stand with a small metal mailbox she’d brought in earlier, “and we were hoping you could keep this over here, somewhere it would be safe, so it doesn’t get damaged while we’re working.”

Nodding and smiling Martha reaches for the mailbox, “I’m sure we could find room,” she says, fond memories of the letters to Santa box and Clark dropping a letter in every year. As she slides it off of the wooden platform and yellowed envelope falls to the floor.

Kara kneels down and picks it up, “Hmm,” she mutters, “looks like an old letter to Santa. Maybe it got stuck under there.”

“You gonna read it,” Martha asks.

“It’s somebody’s Christmas wish, though,” Kara says.

“I think you should read it,” Alura says.

Kara shakes her head, “I would,” says Martha. Kara looks skeptical, “All in favor?” Everyone at the table raises their hands.

“Well, alright then,” Kara says, settling back into her seat and extracting the note from inside the envelope. “It’s typed and dated.”

“That’s twenty years ago,” Martha says, looking over Kara’s shoulder.

Kara pauses for a moment as she scans the letter, “Hold on,” she says, “some of the letters are missing.” Slowly she nods, “Okay, let’s try this again.”

_ “Dear Santa, _

_ This year, I just want Christmas like it used to be. I’m sure you know it’s been a tough year. It would be nice to have Christmas like it used to be. With the candles and the carols and the bells. This Christmas just this once, I want it to go back to the way it was. _

_ Best Wishes, _

_ A.D.” _

Everyone is quiet for long moments and then Alura speaks, “Alex Danvers.”

They all look out the window where Alex is still up on the ladder working on the decorations along the front of the storefront. “And the candles and the carols and the bells?”

Alura nods, “That’s all the stuff we used to do in the town,” she says, voice a little rough. “Before Daisy was the main holiday event planner,” she says, “Jeremiah Danvers was.”

“And Jeremiah Danvers is?”

“Was,” Alura says, “Alex’s Dad.”

Everyone looks sad, “And his letter never made it to Santa,” David voices.

Martha reaches out to rub his shoulder, “No,” she says sadly, “it didn’t.”

* * *

The next morning Kara and Alex meet up at the church, “What is all this stuff?” Kara asks, peering into totes stacked high on tables and filled with different handmade products.

The answer comes not from Alex but from Lois, David at her side, “Every year at the Christmas festival we have a craft fair. All the crafts get brought here, until the night of the festival.”

David holds up the key Kara left in his care yesterday, “This is one of the oldest buildings in Argo, I’ve tried the key on every lock here.” He shakes his head, “Still no luck.” He glances up to find a set of bells above his head, “Wow.”

Everyone else looks above them, “Oh, those are beautiful,” Kara says.

“Daisy always wanted to get these bells working again,” Alex says, reaching out to one of the ropes for the bells. “My mom tried for a while,” she shakes her head, “no one knows what’s wrong with the mechanism. For all intents and purposes, it should work just fine.”

“Come on, Aunt Lois,” David says, “lets go to the bank.”

Alex looks to Kara, “You said you were born here,” he says, “do you remember the bells ringing?”

Kara shakes her head sadly, “We moved around so much and so often, I barely remember any of the places we went.” She smiles a bit, “I do remember Argo the most. I remember the snowglobe and the mailbox and Daisy.”

“Ah, Daisy,” Alex says with a smile, “she’s the one that took over the festival after my dad.” She reaches out, “Let’s get the wreathes and go, huh. The sooner we get these hung and get done with the store, the sooner we can get on with our lives.”

Kara nods, sensing the deflection for what it is, “Sure,” she says, “I just need to make one stop.”

“Okay,” Alex says before following Kara out. Calling out a thanks to the ladies of the church as they leave.

Their next stop turns out to be J’onn’s inn where they enter to find Alura, Lucy, David, J’onn, and Lois working hard on decorating Christmas cookies. “Actually I need to speak to you for a minute, J’onn,” Kara says before leading the man back towards the main lounge room. She picks up one of the glass ornaments still sitting by the door, “Could we borrow these? It would only be for a few days, and it would be for decorations by the door of the store.”

J’onn nods, “I’ve got more than enough,” he says, “so you’re welcome to them.”

Kara smiles as she carries the large box back towards the kitchen, laughter reaching them, “Sounds like they started without us.” She pops her head over Alex’s shoulder, looking down at the Christmas tree she’s decorating, “You ready?”

Alex nods, “Yeah, we should get back. Lots of decorating and painting to do.”

“But isn’t decorating cookies like painting and decorating all in one.”

With a chuckle Alex points to the boy, “You’ve got me there,” she says, “okay. Three cookies each and then we go.”

“Good deal,” Kara says with a laugh. 

As they start decorating Kara hears Alura talking to Lucy, “How are you enjoying Argo?”

Lucy smiles, “Feels like coming home,” she says honestly.

“You know, Argo has a way of keeping people. Well,” she says, glancing to Alex, “some people anyway.”

“Hey,” Alex says, “I go where the work is.”

“Don’t I know it,” Lucy says, “I’ve been trying to get her to come to my logging site in Maine.”

Kara looks to Alex, “Maine?”

Alex shrugs, “I’m thinking about it,” she says simply.

“I’ve got some expanding to do,” Lucy says, “but trying to get out traveling man to settle into a permanent post is tricky.”

Alex throws a cookie at Lucy, “Woman, and I promise, I’ll let you know soon.”

Lucy just hums in response. They end up cutting up and decorating a whole lot more than three cookies a piece before Alex gets a text. “Hey, the guys got the beam up and it looks like we’re ready to go.”

They’re looking around the store when Alex spots something that makes her mutter a quiet, “Damnit.”

Kara follows her line of sight to the hole left behind by the beam in the back wall which has Alex listing a whole lot of things they need to do before they can get the shop ready to be seen by the buyer James has lined up. As Kara’s thinking of the conversation she’ll need to have with James himself about labor and cost he steps through the door.

“I was about to come looking for you. We’ve got some serious work to do before this will be ready for a buyer.”

“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about,” James says, “I just talked to the bank and the only day the buyer can come is tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” James nods to Alex’s exclamation, “It can’t be done.”

Kara looks to Alex, “I think it can,” she nods, “I think we can.”

James backs from the shop quickly, “You take the shelves,” Alex says, “and I’ll get started with the wall.”

Without words Kara moves to the shelves and starts to dust them while Alex lifts up a broom, slowly beginning to sweep. She glances to Kara, watching the other woman move. She takes a deep breath and then reaches out to flip on the radio. Christmas music filling the air.

* * *

The next morning the two of them are up and out bright and early, headed for the tree farm just outside of town that Alex’s mother owns. “I still say we need two trees, one inside and one out.”

“And I still say that’ll be over doing it,” Alex says. “If we run out of time, the you have one tree that looks amazing and one that just ends up -”

“Looking sloppy,” Kara finishes, “I see your point.”

A few minutes later the two of them are pulling up outside of a beautiful red barn, Eliza’s Christmas Tree Lot on the side of it. They round the truck to meet up with a woman approaching them, “Hey, Mom,” Alex says, “this is Kara.”

“Kara, yes,” Eliza says with a smile, “you hear most things in a town this small.”

Kara chuckles, “Fair enough. Well, Ms. Danvers, it's nice to meet you.”

“You can call me Eliza.”

Looking around Kara smiles at the hustle and bustle of the farm, “You have a beautiful place.”

Eliza smiles, “It was my husband’s pride and joy.” Before she can say more one of the workers, helping a family calls to her, “Alex can help you with whatever you need,” she tells Kara with a smile. “Any tree you want,” she continues, “it’s yours, be worth it to see Daisy’s open again.”

Kara grins joyfully at the older woman, “Thank you, thank you so much.” Eliza moves away from them and Kara turns to Alex, “Your mom is awesome.”

Alex tilts her head, looking Kara in the eyes and then says casually, “So is yours.”

For a moment Kara falters and she turns walk into the rows of trees. Alex catches up to her quickly, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t-“

“You’re right.” Kara brushes her fingers over the branches of an evergreen beside them, “She is the most amazing person I have ever met. I have always believed that, even when I was a small child and my father took me away from her.”

“You’ve never come back here,” she pauses, “at least for Christmas?”

Kara shakes her head, “Until I was eighteen I had no choice in the matter, my father wouldn’t let me. After I felt like it had just been too long.”

Alex shakes her head, “It's never too long.” 

* * *

Later that afternoon they’re finishing up the last of the decorations on the tree outside the store when Lois, Lucy, David and Alura all come running towards them. “Hey, guys,” Kara says with a smile.

“Hey, Kara,” David says with a laugh. “We wanted to try the key in Daisy’s.”

He rushes over to the door, trying the key but failing to find the key’s home once more, “No luck,” he mutters sadly. In true childlike fashion he bounces back quickly, “Can we help with the tree?”

“Of course,” Kara says with a laugh. “You guys help Alex with the tree,” she looks to Alura, “would you help me in the shop?”

Alura nods and the two start inside, spreading out, “I wish we had things that could be bought in the store to put here.”

“It would be wonderful to see the store the way it once was.” Alura runs her finger over the counter, “This place brings back so many memories.”

Kara smiles, well aware of the memories to which her mother refers, “You,” she pauses, swallows hard, “you bought me my first teddy bear here.” Alura whirls around to stare at Kara where the younger woman is straightening things, “Sir Teddington De Argo.”

Alura steps forward, hand rising to cup Kara’s cheek, “You - you’re here.”

Kara nods, “I’m here,” she stutters, “I’m sorry I haven’t been here before.”

Slowly Alura draws her in, “You’re here now, that’s the most important thing.”

The ringing of the bell draws them apart and Kara looks over to see James entering with a woman of Asian decent, “Hello,” she says, “how are you all?”

Alura and Kara greet her with smiles while James mouths  _ buyer  _ from behind the other woman. “We’re just going to,” Kara motions to the door.

“Go,” Alura finishes, “we’re going to go.”

The two of them exit the store and walk across the street to the diner, taking up seats at the tables closest to the door. Soon enough Alex has fallen into a seat beside Kara, Martha is behind her, and Lois, Clark, Lucy and David have all gathered around as well. “She’s not what I was expecting,” Kara says quietly.

“Me either,” Alex says, “but she’s taking a while, I guess that’s a good thing, right?”

Kara shrugs, “Could be?”

They watch as James and the woman step out onto the store’s porch, “Could not be too,” Alura says, easily able to read the expression on James’ face. Kara shakes her head, “I thought this one was a good chance.”

“Me too,” Kara and Alex say together.

James enters the diner and sags into a chair across from Alex, “She said it just wasn’t a fit for her.”

Kara sighs, “Well we’ve got one more chance.”

James shakes his head, “The second buyer backed out, that was our last chance.”

Jonathan sighs, “Daisy’s store is the epitome of this town, thinking about it being turned into a parking lot or even a chain store is terrifying. It’s like the letter said, Christmas like it used to be.”

“Letter?” Alex asks, “What letter?”

“Kara found,” Alura starts but Kara places a hand on her arm.

“I was going to tell you,” she says, “I found your letter when I was moving the Santa Mailbox. It’s what inspired me with the store.” She pulls the letter out of her back pocket, “It must have gotten lost all those years ago.”

Alex pulls the letter from Kara’s fingers, “My letter?” She unfolds the yellowed paper and begins to read. Eventually she rises to her feet and grabs her coat, eyes still trailing over the words on the page, “I’ve,” she starts but stops, “I’ve got to go.”

Before Kara can respond in any way her phone rings, Winn’s name flashing across the screen. “Hey, Supergirl,” Winn says happily, “how’s it going?”

“Not the greatest,” Kara says, “our last buyer just backed out.”

“That sucks,” Winn says. “Any leads on new potential buyers?”

“No,” Kara says sadly. “I don’t know what to do. This place, Winn,” she shakes her head, “it’s gotten to me. And Alex-“

“You have a crush.”

“No,” Kara paces then sighs, “yeah, yeah, I’ve got a huge gay crush,” she mutters. “And the worst part is I don’t even know if Alex is gay much less if she’s interested in me. I’m so screwed.”

On the other end of the line Winn sighs, “Hey, Polly is on the other line, you’re gonna want me to take this. I’ll give you a call back tomorrow.”

Kara has an idea, “Winn, I need you to do me a favor.”

When she slides back into her chair inside the Kris Kringle Kitchen, Kara smiles, “My partner and I,” she starts, “had a brilliant beyond brilliant idea. We’ve persuaded one of our clients who is looking to expand her stores to come to Argo and look at the store.”

“So we’ve got one more shot?”

Kara nods, “One more shot.”

* * *

The next day everyone is sitting around one of the front tables at the Kringle Kitchen when Kara enters the building. She looks around for a moment before her eyes light on the snowglobe, “Snowglobe,” she murmurs. She reaches out for it, well aware of all the eyes on her. Closing her eyes she repeats over and over in her mind,  _ I wish for a new idea, a new way to help Daisy’s _ .

“What did you wish for?” David asks.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to tell your wishes.”

Martha chuckles, “That’s what people always say, usually right before they tell us their wishes.”

Kara nods, “I wished for a new idea.”

“Isn’t that what letters to Santa are?” David asks, “Wishes.”

“That’s it,” Kara says, pulling the letter from her back pocket, “Alex’s letter, we use the old traditions to sell the store.”

“It’s perfect,” Martha says.

“No one has ever done it like Jeremiah though.”

“But we have to try,” Kara says. “Who’s in?” Everyone raises their hands.

After a quick bite of breakfast Kara heads out and across the street to the store, surprised to find Alex waiting for her. “Peppermint hot chocolate,” she says, holding out a cup.

“Good memory,” Kara says, accepting the cup and stepping up to be at Alex’s side.

“I’m sorry about yesterday,” Alex says, “taking off like that.”

Kara shakes her head, “No, Alex, no, you have nothing to be sorry for. I should have told you about the letter sooner, it just never seemed like the right time.”

Alex smiles, “I heard about your plan,” she says, “to use the old traditions to sell Daisy’s,” she nods, “I’m in.”

“You are?”

“I am.”

“That’s great,” Kara says throwing her arms around Alex in a hug before she can stop herself. 

Slowly she pulls back, more than a little self conscious, “I’ve got one more surprise for you,” Alex says, “come on.”

The two of them make their way silently to the church and then down to the mechanism that controls the bells. Eliza is already there waiting for them, “Hey, Mom,” Alex says as they approach. “What do you think?”

Eliza nods, “I can take a look,” she says, “I’ve worked on these bells many a time though with no luck so I’m not sure how much help I’ll be.”

“The bells were one of the things mentioned in-“ Kara stops herself from finishing the thought after a shake of Alex’s head and she supposes the other woman doesn’t want her mother to know the Christmas wish she made the year her dad died. “Whatever you can do, Eliza,” Kara says instead, “will be perfect.”

* * *

After a suggestion from Lois, Alura, Lucy, and David set up the mailbox for Letters to Santa in the town square. Nick appears beside them, “Ah, Daisy’s letterbox,” he says, “all people need is a way to express their wishes.” He looks at the three people before him, “Lucy, are you new to Argo?”

Lucy nods, “Trying to be.” She smiles down at David, “We’re actually in talks about expanding my logging business and opening a location here in Argo this summer.”

Alura looks up at him, “You are?”

“It’s all she’s been talking about, all day,” David says.

Nick nods, “Excellent,” he says with a smile. “I’ll be seeing you all around."

As Nick walks away from the group in town square, Kara is entering the inn, “You’re just in time for dinner,” J’onn tells her as she slips out of her coat.

Kara smiles, “Honestly,” she says, “I’m not too hungry right now.”

“Ah, then you can help me,” J’onn says, guiding her towards the sitting room off the entrance way. “I’m decorating the tree.”

“Everyone loves to decorate the tree,” Kara says with a smile. “I bet any of those guests out there would love to help you.”

“Oh that reminds me, I need to check on our newest guest, he just arrived from Boston.”

“And I figured I deserved some R&R while helping out my bestie,” Winn says as he rounds the corner into the room.

Kara whirls around and squeals with laughter before launching herself into Winn’s arms. She hugs him tight for long moments and then lets herself be lowered to the ground once more. “J’onn,” she says, turning to the man beside them, “this is my best friend, Winn.”

“Him I’ve met,” J’onn says, “but I didn’t know he knew you.”

Kara watches as J’onn moves away after a call from another guest, “So how’s it going?” Winn asks.

“I wish we could find product for the store,” Kara says with a huff. “You know me,” she says, “I could stage a store with empty shelves but I just feel like this one needs it. Polly is going to want to see it, to see product on the shelves.”

Winn holds out an ornament he was about to place on the tree before them, “This is gorgeous.”

“I know, right,” she says, “J’onn makes those.” She nods to it, “That is what Polly is going to want to see.” It hits her then, “That’s it,” she says, “the totes.” She moves away from the tree, “Grab your coat and let’s go.”

Across town at the church once more Kara slides into the back row and watches the choir practicing, “This was your idea, choir practice?”

Kara shakes her head, “Not exactly.”

What is most surprising to Kara is the fact that Alex stands on the top left tier of the risers. Eliza, Martha and Jonathan all stand in spots of honor on the risers and the sound emanating from the group is beautiful. Once practice has ended Kara makes her way towards Alex, “So this was the thing you were late for?”

Alex nods, “Yeah,” she says, “yeah, leftovers from high school.”

Kara smiles, “You were great.”

“What are you doing here?” Alex asks as Lois moves forward, “Not that you shouldn’t be here but -”

“The totes downstairs,” she says, Winn appearing at her side, “I have an idea.”

“What kind of idea?”

“We put the crafts for the festival, inside of Daisy’s.”

Alex nods, “It’s perfect, making it look like an actual, working store.”

* * *

Polly bustles into the store, three days later, gushing about the set up of everything and the beauty of it all. Then she turns to Alex, Kara, and James, everyone else having left, David clutching the toy left for him by Nick, “And I’m not going to buy it.”

She looks to James, “I’m sorry to have wasted your time.” James nods and backs out of the store without a word but heartbreak in his eyes, “I came,” Polly says, “because I have job opportunities for you, for both of you.”

“What?”

“I want you to come back to Boston,” she says, “to work in one of my stores, work your way up and eventually you’ll be co-owners and you’ll have your own store.”

Alex watches as Kara and Winn help Polly into her car and bid her goodbye. Then the two of them are giddy and jumping together, lost in their own little bubble of happiness. “Our own store,” she hears Winn say. “And it’ll be right there in Boston.”

Turning to look around the tiny little town she loves so much, the one where she thought she had finally found love and home she turns to the gazebo when she hears Alura call her name. “Hey, Alex,” the older woman calls, Lucy and David standing with her, all waving.

“Hey, guys,” Alex says as she turns and makes her way up into the gazebo, holding out a hand to Lucy, “I think I’ve made my decision,” she says.

Back in front of Daisy’s store Kara and Winn are talking to James, “So Polly offered us our own store,” Winn is saying, “In Boston. Which leaves us with enough stability and collateral that we can do this.”

Kara looks at her friend and then to James, “We want to buy Daisy’s,” she says with a happy smile, “and run it just like Daisy did.”

“So you’d be staying in Argo?” James asks Kara as he understands what the woman is saying.

“I would be,” Kara says with a smile. “I would run the store here and Winn would run the one in Boston for Polly.”

James nodded, “That’s great, wonderful. I accept, it's perfect,” he gushes.

Kara smiles and hugs him, “I’m excited.” She looks around, “Where’s Alex? I wanted to tell her the news.”

“Didn’t you hear?” James asks. “She spoke to Lucy, she’s taking the job in Maine.” Kara never knew six words could take the wind out of someone.

* * *

Kara steps into the store, a little less enthusiasm in her step than usual, “Hey, Kara,” Alura says as she places the mailbox for Santa back in its rightful place on the countertop.

The man at her side looks up, “You’re Kara,” he says with a smile.

“I’m Clark,” apparently we went to kindergarten together.

A nod and a smile is Kara’s response, “You were the one always chasing puppies.”

Clark nods, “And you always had a clean workspace, very good with glue.”

“Guilty,” Kara says with a smile. “That was definitely me.”

“How are you liking Argo?”

“You know I came here,” Kara starts, “expecting to see this tiny little town and see it and then head home, get it all out of my system.” She shakes her head, her eyes looking to Alura who she’s gotten to know so well, who she could see herself one day calling mom again, “Instead it feels just like home all over again.”

Clark smiles, “You aren’t the first person that’s happened to, believe me,” he says. “So mailing a letter to Santa.”

“No,” Kara says holding up the letter in her hands, “this is not my letter.”

Alura nods as Clark takes the letter, “Alex’s letter has given us a lot of inspiration for selling this place,” she says. “I just hope it's enough to convince a buyer.”

Kara looks at her quizzically, “Wait,” she says, “do you not know.” Alura shakes her head with a raised eyebrow, “Winn and I bought this place.”

“You did?”

A bright smile spreads across Kara’s lips, “We did,” she says as Alura rushes around the counter and pulls her into a hug. “Wait, that means,” she pulls back and looks at Kara, “that means you’re going to be staying,” she swallows on a lump in her throat, “staying here?”

Kara nods, “Yeah,” she says, “yeah, I thought it was about time I caught up with some of the people I have dearly missed.”

It takes only a moment for Alura to draw her back in, holding onto her tightly, “I’ve missed you too,” she says quietly. Suddenly she pulls back, “Alex said you bought a store in Boston.”

“Speaking of, have you seen her? Her truck is - Astra’s truck,” she says quietly.

Clark speaks up then, “Hey, guys, I don’t think this is Alex’s letter.”

“What?” Alura and Kara say together, turning to look at him.

“It says AD but I think you guys are looking at the wrong Danvers. All the e’s are missing.”

Suddenly it hits Kara, “Winn has my car,” she says while looking at Clark who she hopes has the keys to the red truck, “could you give me a ride.”

“I’ll do you one better,” he says with a smile, “take the truck.” He throws her the keys and Kara smiles at him before turning and making her way out of the store.

Not much later Alura exits the store to find Lucy, David, and Lois making their way down Main Street. Lucy’s hand is resting on David’s shoulder, “Hey, guys,” she says while making her way towards them. “Ready for the festival?”

She receives several affirmative responses but David looks down with a twist of his mouth to the key he withdraws from his pocket, “I still wish we could figure out where the key went.”

“Hey everybody,” Nick says, easing up behind Alura.

“Thanks for the car, Nick,” Davids says.

Nick smiles, “That’s why I wanted to find you. I reached into my pocket earlier and found this,” he holds up a tiny key.

“What is it?”

“A key,” the old man says, “it goes to your car.” David hands the car over with a smile, “Sometimes,” Nick says, “all you need is the right key to make things go.”

He inserts the small key into the toy car and gives it a few turns before sitting it on the ground and watching it roll off. David runs after the toy and picks it up before looking down at the car in his hand and then back to the key. “Aunt Lois,” he says excitedly.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” they question together.

Then David turns to Lucy, “Mom, can I?”

“Go, go,” Lucy tells him.

“We’ll catch up at the festival,” Alura says as she watches David and Lois rush off towards the church.

“Come on, Aunt Lois,” David says before rushing inside.

* * *

Kara pulls into the grass outside of the barn at Eliza’s Christmas tree farm to find Alex loading up her truck, “You were just going to leave,” she says, “without saying goodbye?”

Alex lifts up the typewriter she’s had hidden in the barn, “I was going to leave a note.”

“Typed?” Kara asks.

“Yeah, actually,” Alex says, setting the typewriter on the side of the truck, a bright red bow on it. She runs her fingers gently over the keys, “I had it fixed,” she says, “for my mom, for Christmas.”

“Oh,” Kara says. “So the e and the h keys are working?”

Alex nods, “Yeah.”

“A. Eliza Danvers,” Kara says, motioning to the side of the truck. “AED.” Kara looks at her, “Alex, why did you let me think that was your letter?”

Alex looks lost for a moment, “When I saw that letter,” she says quietly, “I knew exactly the year she wrote it.” She shakes her head, “I didn’t know what to ask for in a letter to Santa that year.” She shoves her hands deep into her pockets, “Dad had only been gone a few months and I was so,” she pauses, “angry at everything. But I knew if I didn’t write a letter Mom would be upset. So I went to Daisy’s store and I put an empty envelope in the box.” She swallows back on what Kara is sure are tears, “Then out of the corner of my eye I saw my Mom put a letter in the mailbox,” she shakes her head, “but I never knew what was in that letter. Until now.”

“So all the work, the store, the decorations, the festival,” Kara says, moving closer, “you did all that because of the letter?”

“It was you,” Alex says, “you swept in here and for the first time in years I got back a little of what Christmas used to be.” She shakes her head, “And then when I realized the letter was from my mom and what you were doing for her, even if you thought it was me, it was just more of a reason.”

“This was all your doing,” Eliza questions stepping out of the barn and making her way towards the two younger women. “I wrote that letter twenty years ago,” she says quietly, one hand reaching out to brush over the old typewriter. “And now,” she says, “the townspeople, they’ve brought your father back.” Her eyes are glassy as she looks to Kara and Alex, “Preparing the candlelight procession, the choir.”

Alex steps forward, “I just wanted you to have what you asked for in the letter,” she says quietly to her mother.

Eliza reaches out for Alex then and draws her in, “You did, darling, you did,” she whispers quietly, both of them crying. “You both did,” he says turning to look at Kara as well.

Moving forward into a hug with Eliza, Kara whispers quietly, “You are so welcome.” She hasn’t pulled free of the hug when the sound of bells, church bells, draws her away. “Is that the bells?” she questions, looking between Alex and Eliza. The three of them race for the truck, heading back towards town where they can join the procession.

Alex pulls the truck to a stop and she and the others get out. The three of them stop at the front of the truck and look up at the ringing church bells, “Merry Christmas, Jeremiah.”

“You too, Daisy,” Kara calls before the three of them head off again.

They fall into line with the rest of the candlelight procession down to the church where David and Lois are standing on the front steps. Kara looks around her. Lucy’s head is resting on Alura’s shoulder and Kara hears their quiet conversation.

“You know, this place is magical.”

“You should see it the other seasons,” Alura says, looking at Lucy.

Lucy looks up at her, “Looks like I’m going to,” she says. “We’ll be opening up a new location here in the summer.”

Kara can’t hide the smile for her mother as Lucy leaves it at that and returns her head to Alura’s shoulder, both of them smiling.

She’s still smiling, looking up at the church when she speaks to the woman at her side, “I didn’t take the job in Boston.”

Alex looks to her instantly, “You didn’t -”

Kara shakes her head, “We bought Daisy’s,” she says quietly. “I’m staying here.”

“Guess I should have gotten the whole story,” Alex says before Kara leans in and captures her lips in a kiss.

Lucy laughs from beside them, “Looks like you’ll be joining me at the new location,” she calls to Alex.

The redhead pulls back slightly and looks over at Lucy, “Yeah, can we shake on it later?” she asks, not waiting for an answer before she kisses Kara again.

They’ve just pulled away from one another when David comes running up, “Kara, the key, it was for the bells.”

“How did you figure that out?” she asks.

“I added everything up,” he says and it all pointed to the church.

Kara smiles, leaning into the arms wrapped around her, all of them still looking up at the bells. “Merry Christmas,” she whispers in Alex’s ear.

“Merry Christmas,” Alex tells her.


End file.
